Virginia Key GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance is a part of the 30 year running not-for-profit GrassRoots Festival’s four seasons of GrassRoots. Situated at Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, Virginia Key GrassRoots Festival celebrates its 10th Annual 3-Day festival of music and dance March 6-12, 2023. 

Visit our Ticket Page for pricing on Early Bird, youth, camping, and all other ticket rates.

Directions

Visit our Directions and Maps Page for directions.

Camping

Virginia Key GrassRoots Festival offers three camping options including RV, vehicle, and primitive tent sites. Visit our Camping Page for the full details.

Gate Hours

Friday: 9 a.m. – Midnight
Saturday: 9 a.m. – Midnight
Sunday: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Questions

virginiakey@grassrootsfest.org

607-387-5098

Youth Policy

Children ages 15 and under must have a parent or guardian aged 18 or older present in order to attend the festival. Youth one-day and four-day passes will not be sold to anyone 15 years of age or younger without a parent or guardian aged 18 or older.

Parents / Guardians of Teens

Life can happen fast when you are a teenager, and GrassRoots Festivals can provide an excellent space to accommodate the growth that accompanies the transition from a child to a young adult. We encourage parents and guardians of teenagers attending a GrassRoots Festival event to speak, and be open, with them about wise decision making surrounding their health & safety in large event settings. Over the years, parents and guardians have found numerous ways to both provide their teen with greater autonomy while maintaining supervision (including timed check ins, 2-way radios, etc.) and staying in communication while enjoying each other’s space. Many parents have also found that volunteering with their teen can be an excellent way to experience the event together.

Parking

All vehicles entering Historic Virginia Key Beach Park must pay the park’s Entry Fee - a separate fee from GrassRoots Festival’s tickets and camping. The 2023 parking rates for Friday March 10 through March 12 will be $20 per day, or $40 for the weekend.

Coming & Going

For the safety of all, please do not drive around the festival grounds. If you are using a vehicle camping pass and need to leave the festival grounds we request that you do so between 8 a.m. and noon.

Trash, Recycling & Compost

Please help us reduce our waste by following this simple request — if you bring it with you, take it home! If you must leave trash or recycling, please sort glass, aluminum, plastic, cardboard & trash. Need bags? We’ve got you covered! Just ask for trash and recycling bags at the Ticket Booth.

WATER

Numerous taps of city water for drinking are conveniently situated at multiple points throughout the property. As such, we highly recommend bringing your re-fillable water containers to stay hydrated through the entire duration of your stay. Look for the Water signs on the map and throughout the site.

Pets

As much as we love pets, out of consideration for the health and safety of all, pets are not allowed at Virginia Key Beach Park. Service pets will be permitted with proof that they are for the service of the human that they are with. Please check service animals in at the Ticket Booth upon arrival.

Refunds

We apologize for any inconvenience, but we are unable to provide refunds. All ticket sales are final.

Alcohol

Outside alcohol is not allowed at Historic Virginia Key Beach Park. Beer and wine are available at multiple bars throughout the property, and only those aged 21 years or older with valid identification are allowed to consume. Public intoxication and drug abuse are not acceptable, and we reserve the right to intervene if we believe anyone is acting inappropriate and/or disrespectful.

Drone Policy

Drone cameras are not permitted without official accreditation. Anyone hoping to pilot a drone during any event held at Virginia Key Beach Park will need to 1) be 16 years of age 
or older and hold a valid Driver’s License, 
2) hold a valid FAA UAV License, and 3) provide proof of insurance with both Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival Org. and Virginia Key Beach Park listed as additional insured for $1,000,000 per occurrence ($2,000,000 aggregate).

All persons must be pre-registered and have all of the above documentation on file with the GrassRoots Festival office before launching UAVs on the property. Pilots flying a drone on the property without all of these requirements will either be asked to leave or have their equipment confiscated until the end of the event. A repeat offense will result in the person subject to being banned from the property. Please email virginiakey@grassrootsfest.org to 
begin the approval process.

A Few Tips from Us to Stay Healthy & Safe

*Unplug! Cell phone coverage is spotty – at best. You will have better luck sending a text. Take the picture or video and worry about posting it later. If you must make a call, the best places for coverage seem to be in the Food Village or in day parking.

*Bring a flashlight

*Use sunscreen

*Use bug spray

*Upon arrival, note the location of Security and First Aid on the Festival Site Map. Printed maps can be found at the Box Office or in your program.

*Stay hydrated! There are numerous Water spigots for public consumption marked throughout the site.

*Use the buddy system, stay together and keep an eye out for one another.

*If you witness something that feels unsafe please report it to security.

*Use & trust your best instincts.

*Please spread the word about the 911 Good Samaritan Law. The “911 Good Samaritan” law provides protections from charge and prosecution for drug and alcohol possession and underage drinking for both the victim and those who seek help during an overdose. Bottom line, if someone needs medical assistance, do not hesitate to seek help immediately.

ASSUMPTION OF RISK: YOU are RESPONSIBLE

There are inherent risks associated with being at any GrassRoots Festival or at Historic Virginia Key Beach Park. By participating in Virginia Key GrassRoots Festival in any way (ticket purchaser, volunteer, staff, performer, vendor, etc.) you are fully responsible for your physical and mental self, your belongings, your vehicle, your actions, injuries, accidents, illness, property damage, or other occurrence arising in any manner whatsoever out of your participation in activities sponsored by Virginia Key GrassRoots Festival. In addition, all persons attending this event, by their presence, may be photographed, videotaped, or broadcasted, and waive any claim related to the use of their image for GrassRoots’ promotional purposes. We live by the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you so please be respectful, kind & responsible, and enjoy your time at Virginia Key!

Handicap Accessibility

Though situated on a flat, beach type property, Historic Virginia Key Beach Park is fairly navigable by those with disabilities. Please find some helpful information here, below and reach out to virginiakey@grassrootsfest.org with any further questions.

• A packed gravel road connects all of the musical stages. As a beach front property, there are tree roots around and some areas of sand. This main thoroughfare, though, provides good access to any of the music, and goes very close to our food area as well as all of the handicap-accessible camping and parking areas.

• Mobility Impaired Parking is available on a first-come first-serve basis and divided into Van Accessible spaces and regular width spaces. Please see the parking volunteers for directions and access. A valid state-issued DMV ADA placard or HD plate is required.

• We have two Mobility Impaired Camping areas, close to handicap bathrooms. If interested in utilizing one of these sites, please reach out to virginiakey@grassrootsfest.org prior to attending a festival to coordinate.

VISITING virginia key

Home to Virginia Key GrassRoots Festival, Historic Virginia Key Beach Park is a magical place with a rich, cultural history of significant importance to the greater Miami area. The story begins in 1896. This was the year the City of Miami was founded with approximately one-third of the signatures of the city charter being black men (which was no accident considering their predominant role in the early building of the city). Segregation became a day-to-day reality throughout the South.  It was this reality that systematically excluded all people of color from Dade County’s most famous attraction, its miles of beaches.

By 1920, as the city grew, many of these beaches were developed into parks and public swimming facilities exclusively for the white population. D.A. Dorsey, an African American millionaire, purchased what is now known as Fisher Island so that blacks could have a beach of their own. But due to increasing property taxes, Mr. Dorsey was obligated to sell the property. As a result, the black community was left without a beach to enjoy.

There were unofficial exceptions, areas which by mutual understanding were exclusive to the African American population. One such place was a very special beach located on Virginia Key, known as “Bears Cut” which at that time could only be reached from Miami by boat. This property became an official “colored only” recreation site as a direct response to a bold protest, led by the late Judge Thomas. Under Thomas’ leadership, black men defiantly entered the water with the intention of being arrested at exclusively white Baker’s Haulover Beach in North Dade County. County authorities however, to avoid costly embarrassment, took no legal action against the protesters. Instead they acquiesced to the protesters’ demands for an officially designated swimming area for African Americans. Although only accessible by boat from a downtown dock on the Miami River, “Virginia Beach, a Dade County Park for the exclusive use of Negroes,” was opened on August 1, 1945.

Virginia Key Beach quickly became a cherished getaway, social gathering place, and even a sacred site for religious services. The beach included such amenities as large shaded picnic areas with barbecue pits, cottages, a boat ramp and the famous Mini-Train and Carousel rides. With its lush windswept palms and inviting beach, Virginia Key lured thousands to this tropical paradise. Though the beach remained segregated throughout the 1950’s, it was not a factor for many new Caribbean, South American, and Cuban immigrants found Virginia Key Beach to be either the only beach that they too could visit, or the beach they preferred.

In 1982 the City of Miami closed Virginia Key Beach Park, citing the high cost of maintenance and operations. The park has remained closed ever since, except on a daily rental basis and as a training facility for law enforcement agencies and large entertainment events. In June 1999, a diverse group of citizens called the Virginia Key Beach Park Civil Rights Task Force was established in response to plans of private development on the beach park.

Later that year, the Miami City Commission established the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust to oversee the development of the historic park property. The Trust has been working diligently to provide the community an estate for family events, community meetings, corporate meetings, as well as a pristine beachfront for swimming and water activities. In August 2002, the park was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Historic Virginia Key Beach Park re-opened to the public in February 2008 with many of the amenities of the past as well as some new venues as suggested by the community. The Historic Beach Park is open to the public today; ecosystem restoration projects, interpretive signage and the construction of an interpretive/cultural center remain to be completed.

For more information please visit Historic Virginia Key Beach Park’s website here.